Uses for a mini torch

[Thornado]

I just received a kitchen "mini torch" as a birthday present, so now I'm looking for recipes that I can use that in. I am mainly able to find lots and lots of recipes for Creme Brulee, but I would like to use it for something else as well.

Suggestions anyone?

[jackal10]

I mostly use mine for lighting the stove, and for browning the tops of gratins, or the outside of meats to be long slow cooked.

[Wendy DeBord]

You can use it to brown meringue on tartlets. You can unmold items molded in metal pans with-out dipping them in water that makes a mess.

[nightscotsman]

We use our torches so much at work we often have to hide them so the other teams don't come and take them. Some of the things we use them for:

- brown meringue on lemon tarts

- heat the bottoms of tart molds and cheesecake pans to help unmolding

- heat knives to cut cleanly through brownies, cakes and cheesecakes

- heat up a sheet pan to use as a surface to partially melt choclotate decorations to attach to pastries

- briefly torch frozen mousse domes to remove condensation before glazing

- melt chocolate spills on the stainless counter and tile floors to ease cleanup

- wave torch flame quickly over just poured creme brulees to pop surface bubbles before baking

[Ducky]

Take some very fresh snapper or tuna, cut it into sashimi sized slices, and marinate these for half an hour or so in a combination of fresh lime juice, soya sauce and light sesame seed oil.

Put the slices on a baking tray and sear briefly on each side with your mini torch and serve immediately with a cilantro leaf per slice.

Makes a very fine amuse bouche.

(On reflection I am not sure how mini your mini torch is. I use the typical plumbers torch that you buy at Home Hardware for a few dollars.)

[gourmande]

Also perfect for blasting the skins off peppers...

[Mayhaw Man]

You can repair leaky pipes

Remove wallpaper

Kill weeds in the cracks of your sidewalks

Burn sugar on the top of creme brulee

You can brown meringue really well with a torch, but it takes some practice

[chefpeon]

Remove wallpaper

Remove wallpaper? Isn't that kind of a dangerous way to do it? Knowing me I'd burn my house down. Not that I'm accident prone or anything <ahem>

- heat up a sheet pan to use as a surface to partially melt choclotate decorations to attach to pastries

hey, that's a new one for me......great idea!

I used to ice up brownies with ganache. After a couple of days, the ganache would look a little

dullish, so I used to wave the torch quicky over the top to give it that nice shiny glaze again.

I also like to use my torch to keep those unruly co-workers outta my space!

[chromedome]

Makes a great lock de-icer...

Also pretty good for starting a small amount of charcoal in a hurry.

[origamicrane]

oh they are essential for barbecues

You won't need fire starters or lighter fluid with one of these.

just get a few chunks of charcoal place them on a few sheets of crumpled newspaper.

blow torch the edges of a few lumps of the charcoal until they turns white

and then light the newspaper. very quick, painless anbd fun

[Patrick S]

Blow-torching marshmallows is always a rewarding way to use up your propane. For maximum enjoyment, pontificate on the virtues of propane in a Hank Hill voice while you do the toasting. Example: "Nothing roasts marshmallow like clean-burning, energy-efficient propane, I tell ya what."

[jgarner53]

I would almost venture to say that my blow torch (the basic kind available at the hardware store) is just about my favorite gadget in the kitchen. There's something so very cool and industrial about it to me that I just love. When I use it to warm up a mold to remove it, here's this very practical, industrial tool being used to unveil a gorgeous dessert.

That, and I get to play with fire.

[chefpeon]

"Nothing roasts marshmallow like clean-burning, energy-efficient propane, I tell ya what."

Patrick, you just made me do that "ROFLMAO" thing.

Thanks for the belly laugh!

Now everytime I use my torch I'm going to think of that!

[chromedome]

Oh, and less facetiously, it's the greatest little item for burning pinfeathers off the fowl of your choice.

[nwyles]

I use mine for all of the above. It comes in handy. I also use it everyday to light the propae heaters on the patio. Like the ovens and fryers, the will light eventually without it, but who has 60 seconds to wait for the pilot light to heat up.

As the owner and head maintenence guy, any sort of plumbing , heating up the joints on stubborn metro shelves ( the thick wire shelves in kitchens and coolers ) and minor electrical.

One thing of note - I buy the yellow tanks instead of the blue ones - they burn hotter and I do not notice any lingering taste of propane on the brule

[culinary bear]

incentivising junior chefs... :)

[chefpeon]

I buy the yellow tanks instead of the blue ones

The yellow tanks are MAPP gas, right?

What IS MAPP gas?

I thought about buying them because I was told they burn hotter, but wasn't

sure if it was "safe" or not......guess it is, huh?

[Genny]

Marshmallows and Bananas are my favorite. I sprinkle Dark Movado sugar on halved/quartered banana and torch! Looks great to have the carmelized banana spears adding heighth to an ice-cream sunday with hot fudge served in a martini glass. We'll call it luuuvvv.

[touaregsand]

I had to make a bunch of tarts once. The customer wanted pear. The fresh pairs were lousy, hard, flavors, bad color. She insists she wants pears. I tell her it'll have be canned then, she says fine.

I just made a custard and placed sliced pears on top. But they looked a little sad. I took a torch and browned the pears. They looked MUCH better.

[jgarner53]

One of the "fancy" desserts (a tart) my mom commonly made for dinner guests in the late 70's and 80's used canned pears on top of a sweetened cream cheese filling. They were glazed with apricot jam and topped with sliced almonds. If (gods forbid) I ever made this tart again (cuz it was kinda tasty if you like canned pears, which I used to), I'd torch the pears - great tip!